Author: Michael

Posted in Album Reviews

Julia Holter – Ekstasis (2012)

Posted on by Michael

Back in the spring of this year, Julia Holter quickly released the follow up to her debut from 2011 entitled Tragedy which was inspired by Euripides’ Greek play Hippolytus. Taking time away from tutoring teenagers in her native Los Angeles, Holter recorded Ekstasis mostly at home and mostly on her own. At times recalling Kate Bush and more recent artists such as Grimes, Ekstasis sounds like it’s from another time both past and future.

Like walking through an old abandoned home with secret passages and hidden rooms behind bookcases, there is much to discover here. First track, “Marienbad” is a marvel in itself. At times feeling like it could all fall apart at any time; beats, strings, and a distorted bugle appear and disappear throughout. The dreamlike vocals of “Our Sorrows” with its “if you call out, call out, call out, call out I will follow you” refrain is then followed by swirling vocals that make it feel like you’re listening to someone drown. “In the Same Room” features an insistent drumbeat and handclaps, the lyrics being a back and forth between two people before it all starts to fade away as quickly as it came.

The challenging aspects of Holter’s work is balanced by featuring just as many melodic and catchy moments throughout. Not a conventional listen and quite abstract at times, Ekstasis is an album to get lost in.

9/10

(Review also found at UMFM.com)

Posted in Songs Going Steady

Le1f – Wut

Posted on by Michael

If TLA was trying to be the coolest kids on the block we’d be more embarrassed that we missed out on Diplo’s “Express Yourself” from several months ago even though its been sitting on our ipod for months courtesy of a Stereogum.com mixtape. So we’ll take our lumps and carry on. And by carrying on we mean featuring this track from Le1f.

Pitchfork put the BNM stamp on the single recently and we couldn’t agree more. The beat is sick and the rapping skips by in a blur. The video? The kid is putting it out there and has us thinking about getting some purple shorts…. or maybe not. We’ll leave it to Le1f to rock those while he rocks our speakers.

Posted in Songs Going Steady

First Aid Kit – Blue

Posted on by Michael

The sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg released their second album, The Lion’s Roar, earlier in 2012. It hit number one in the Swedish album chart the week of release as well as #35 in the UK. Following up on single “Emmylou” the duo put out “Blue” as the third single from the newest album.

The track has an uncanny ability to sound both like it was originally a country song from the 1950’s yet sounds modern at the same time. The harmonies and cheery twinkling notes don’t give away the fact that the lyrics are so downcast:

“And the only man you ever loved
You thought was gonna marry you
Died in a car accident when he was only 22
Then you just decided, love wasn’t for you
And every year since then
Has proved it to be true”

Terrific stuff from those so young.

Posted in Scene & Heard

Malene Arpe

Posted on by Michael

On Fred Williard being arrested for lewd conduct at a porn theatre in Los Angeles (taken from http://www.thestar.com):

This is, of course, all kinds of embarrassing for Willard, but there are a few things I don’t understand. Having never visited that kind of establishment, I’m not privy to the etiquette, but are customers expected to sit and watch without taking their pants off? And if so, why would they go there in the first place? And why are the police wasting time walking through theatres on the off-chance that a senior citizen gets a little rowdy? And, also, perhaps someone could show Willard how to access the internet. I understand there’s a bit of porn there if someone is so inclined.